Botswana Launches Private Sector Forum for Child Rights with P13 Million Commitment
In a landmark move to prioritize child welfare and inclusive development, UNICEF and Government of Botswana has officially launched the Private Sector Forum for Child Rights, backed by a P13 million pledge from 11 founding companies.
Gaborone, Botswana – In a landmark move to prioritize child welfare and inclusive development, UNICEF and Government of Botswana has officially launched the Private Sector Forum for Child Rights, backed by a P13 million pledge from 11 founding companies. The initiative, aims to embed children's rights into corporate governance and national development strategies.
Vice President and Minister of Finance, Mr. Ndaba Gaolathe, described the forum as a strategic platform to foster cross-sectoral collaboration and ensure that investments in children yield tangible, long-term outcomes.
It is through nurturing the potential of our children, safeguarding their rights, and creating avenues for their success that we can unlock Botswana’s youth dividend
The forum aligns with the Botswana Economic Transformation Programme (BETP), the government’s response to persistent challenges such as sluggish economic growth, high youth unemployment, and over-reliance on diamond exports. Gaolathe noted that the private sector’s slow expansion has hindered its ability to absorb the country’s educated youth, making initiatives like the forum critical to national progress.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Child Welfare and Basic Education, Ms. Mamiki Kamanakao, presented sobering statistics on child welfare. Nearly half of Botswana’s children live in multidimensional poverty, 70 percent lack access to adequate sanitation, and 39 percent are deprived of both decent housing and essential healthcare. Stunting affects one in five children under five, and child mortality remains high at 56 deaths per 1,000 live births.
Kamanakao announced that the government would amend the Children’s Act to reinforce legal protections and adopt a rights-based approach to child development. She also highlighted the introduction of STEAM education—including coding and robotics—at early learning stages, and the Sghela se a Bitsa initiative, a second-chance program aimed at reintegrating excluded children into the education system.
Acting Representative, UNICEF Botswana , Kimanzi Muthengi said, the forum is more than a pledge - it’s a promise. A promise that the private sector, government, and UNICEF will walk hand in hand to rewrite the future for every child in Botswana.
Together, we are building a nation where no child is left behind.
For her part, Mascom CEO Ms. Dzene Makhwade-Seboni, speaking on behalf of the private sector, said the forum represents a shift in how businesses view child-focused investment.
Investing in children is not charity—it’s visionary business practice
Makhwade-Seboni emphasized that such investments strengthen future talent pools, build community trust, and contribute to market resilience.
The Private Sector Forum for Child Rights will serve as a hub for innovation, knowledge exchange, and coordinated action, aligning corporate resources with national child development priorities. Stakeholders hailed the launch as a bold step toward ensuring that every child in Botswana can live, learn, and thrive—regardless of where they are born.
